‘’Guruji we need to speak to you in person,” with folded hands we requested him to accede to my demand.

“Alone” he asked.

“Yes,   both of us” my husband replied.

“Just wait; there are many people around here”.

Guruji was a revered figure in our social group; he led a simple austere life, always ready to help, I used to accompany my husband to his satsangs and kar-sewa programmes.

It was already 9 PM that day and Guruji left without any prior intimation though it was unlike him as he was punctual about things. We were disappointed and had to leave empty handed.

I always used to wonder how life can be. Can’t everything happen as per your wish and it can’t be more exasperating if they are mostly against your personal agreement as this process continued for few more days and Guruji couldn’t find time to meet us. After almost a week we were tense and equally annoyed with his unwarranted behavior.

Just when I thought of confronting him, he came to us smiled and said ‘’ Wanted to see how anxious you both are, don’t get me wrong it’s a test which you both have passed”

‘”Guruji we have been trying to meet you, we had to leave all our work but you don’t have time.”

He again smiled and said “Come tomorrow at 5.”

Next day we were sitting in his ashram, he came gave us Prasad and said “Tell me, what do you want?”

“We are in very difficult situation, it’s like a dead end of our life please help us.’’ I replied.

He then asked to explain everything in detail and following his instruction I started my story.

 “Guruji life has always been good to me; I got the best parents in the world, got good education then finally earning all degrees from one of the imperial institutions of the country.”

”Just as I was enjoying my success marriage happened and here too God was more than generous as I couldn’t have asked for better.”

 I looked in my husband’s eye.

He too looked at me then holds my hand with a gesture to console me.

“But this empyrean journey came to a halt,  it stalked me and suddenly everything seem to be trivial and inconsequential with mind cluttered with questions like , why is this happening to me?, whose fault is this? ”

“It’s almost 6 months and my only son Sameer is just not the person we ever imagined, have been praying every day since the day I realized that my life has turned haywire.”

“He lives in another world and doesn’t need us anymore.” I started sobbing.

“He is just 19 years old, tender age and we haven’t spoken to him properly since months, he usually comes home late and we are mostly asleep by then and even when he is at home he avoids us.” My husband said.

“Every day is a struggle for us, I just don’t know what to do, and I think he needs us more than we do.” I continued.

 “Guruji we gave him all the comforts of the world, since childhood we accepted all his demands and now see this child he is not even ready to talk.” My husband intervened.

Guruji in his usual flair listened to us patiently, his face beaming with extreme sense of calm with an inkling of rejuvenated person having seen all the adversities of life, for him life is a gift where every individual with his own talent has come to enlighten the world, to make it a more beautiful place allowing all to live harmoniously. He always wanted us to see the world from his eyes where pain, conflict or happiness has a reason for a better and more logical tomorrow. And then he got up, opened the window and sat beside us.

“You are in grave danger and great injustice has been done to this child, do you think money and worldly comforts make him happy?” asked Guruji.

“No wonder today we often equate money with happiness but remember money only provides convenience; it can better your life but shouldn’t be equated with happiness.”

Then he left the room.

We were awestruck and stood there for few minutes; silence in his room had captivated us, the peace we hadn’t experienced in recent times with Guruji’s words ringing in my mind. He was right my son is in pain and he needs us. I looked at the window with the sunrays falling on my lap insinuating the changes we need to bring in our life, may be Guruji wants us to see them. Then I saw Guruji coming towards us, his benign presence was accompanied with a feeling of exhilaration and we looked at him with reverence.

“What should we do Guruji, you are our only hope.” I pleaded.

He smiled and said “You have to pay for it; a sacrifice is needed with a period of penance to absolve you both.”

“We are ready for anything, we want our child back” my husband replied.

Guruji spoke for few minutes, explained us about present generation, their needs, expectations and their isolation. He said parenting is the most difficult work today since needs rather greed have taken a toll driving our life and relationships have become secondary. He explained how joint family system with elders helped in primary socialization of child however today modernity comes with a cost  where nuclear family seem to have reoriented the whole familial relations.

“Change is inevitable and is a continuous process but similar changes in our life too are needed to suit the present.” He said.

He further explained us the meaning of family, its importance and values which needs to be internalized. He asked us to follow few things but they were not easy.

The same evening we were sitting in our verandah when my husband asked, “Do you think Guruji’s advice will work?”

“I don’t know but I will do whatever I can.”

As per Guruji we had to have our dinner with Sameer, my husband arranged the crockery and laid the dinner in the verandah itself and we started waiting for him. After a while we took our easy chair outside and soon went to sleep. When I got up it was already 3 am he was still not back. I woke my husband and then we started waiting for him.

Sameer came in the morning around 6, moment he opened the inter lock I got up and was surprised to see me at the door.

“Where were you? You know we were waiting for you the whole night” I asked.

Sameer was in inebriated state, avoiding me he left to his room. I stood there speechless but couldn’t help.

Even in office I couldn’t concentrate on my work, as per Guruji’s instruction I was not supposed to speak to Sameer on phone, but against his wishes I tried to call him many times but all in vain. This continued for few more days.

As per our routine we were still waiting for him every day just then a miracle happened, Sameer came around 1 am , I was happy see him early after so many days he seem to have realized his mistake, I thought.

“Dear, let’s have dinner together” I requested.

“No, I already had with my friends.” He replied.

‘’But, we were waiting” I said.

‘’Now Mummy, please stop this drama and don’t exaggerate, “

“This is all drama for you, we cannot face this any further, come” trying to hold his hand I pleaded.

“Suddenly what has happened to you, see Papa is nodding there.” Then Sameer left to his room.

I was clueless about this gratuitous situation, had faced many adverse and unwarranted situation in my professional career but here at home just to handle my own child was proving to be the most tumultuous and painful experience. I couldn’t sleep next few days, somewhere there was a guilt in me which held me responsible for all this, I still remember how he used to seek my attention, plead me to go to cinema or spend time with him but we always had some excuse. Today I want to reach out to him but he seems to have gone too far.

Next day we went to Guruji to seek his advice but he refused to meet and conveyed his message to continue our duty as per his instructions. Again brim with determination I resolved and pledged that we have to continue cajoling him without losing enthusiasm with only one thought in my mind that I want my child back.  Just as I thought Sameer came home early after few days around 12 though unexpected but it couldn’t have been better.

“Sameer” I said in an emphatic tone.

He stood at the door looked at us for few seconds and replied nonchalantly “Now, what, you people still not tired.”

Just as he was about to enter the door his father blocked the door, “Please dear, look at us see what we are going through, at least for our sake just listen to us.”

“Listen, what listen?  Did you people ever try the other way round, look at me?”

“I mean all parents in the world are concerned about their children,  unfortunately here in this house there is a different world, nobody is concerned about others, did you people ever tried to know what I want?“

“Dear, that’s why we are here” I interrupted.

Then there was silence in the room, with a gazed look he stood there for few seconds.

“No, no leave me alone” as he tried to find his way through the door.

“Son, we are pained to see you, we haven’t had our dinner since almost a fortnight, we are hungry but there is a bigger hunger which is killing us every day as we want to see you back in our life.” My husband replied in an assertive tone.

“What do you want then, just have dinner that’s all” with a sympathetic tone.

I went close to him and just as I touched him he said “Mummy, I am even more pained to see both of you though I enjoyed watching you both suffer from past few days and wanted to punish you, see you suffer.” Then he started crying.

Even I couldn’t hold my tears and I hugged him. It was like experiencing that blessed feeling again as I felt when he was born. His father too came and cuddled us together, we were ecstatic and for the first time after months we had our dinner together.

Then we went to his room and spoke at length about different things mostly about his life, it was almost 3 am when he said “Mummy let’s keep rest of the things for tomorrow.”

Just as we were about to leave his room, he again said “I hope to see my Mummy Papa more often in my room.”

Next day we went to Guruji and thanked him for everything.

“We are really happy Guruji, I wonder, how we will repay you for this?”

“Just take care of your child” he smiled with a smile on his face.